STEVANOVIĆ: NO STRIKE, SUFFICIENT FUNDS FOR GROSS SALARIES PROVIDED

BANJA LUKA, JUNE 11 /SRNA/ – Republika Srpska Minister of Transport and Communications Zoran Stevanović told SRNA that the announced strike by part of the workforce of the Republika Srpska Railways will not take place, stressing that the adopted budget revision proposal provides fully sufficient funds for gross salaries through the end of the current budget year.

Stevanović stated that the total grant for the Railways company this year amounts to BAM 45 million, compared with BAM 10 million last year.

He added that representatives of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, together with the Railways company management will continue talks with trade union representatives.

"Two days ago, through Assistant Minister for Railways Vesna Vožni, I told them to wait until the budget revision before the National Assembly, and then we would hold a meeting. However, someone there obviously lacks patience or wants to attract public attention. I simply cannot determine what this is about, but let that be on their conscience," Stevanović said.

He emphasized that he finds it a strange coincidence that today, when the Government adopted the budget revision and approved a grant for thev Republika Srpska Railways larger than the combined grants of the previous several years, part of the union is discussing and considering a strike.

"Today, when we have lost the rail freight market, when the Republika Srpska Government and the line ministry are struggling to secure funds to pay gross salaries through the end of the budget year, and when we are trying together to find the best possible solutions without radical layoffs, part of the Railways union, not the entire union, is attempting to draw media attention by presenting themselves as fighting for something, talking about crime in the Railways company and various negative issues," Stevanović said.

He asked what had been done over the past 20 years regarding the railways and allegedly poor management of the company.

Republika Srpska Prime Minister Savo Minić said today that he had tasked Minister of Transport and Communications Zoran Stevanović with holding talks with representatives of the union of the Republika Srpska workers, who announced protests due to accumulated problems within the company.

Republika Srpska Prime Minister Minić recalled that the Government had provided, through the budget revision, an increase in subsidies for the Railways company by an additional BAM 35 million.

Republika Srpska Finance Minister Zora Vidović said that the Railways company had ended up in a difficult position because the Zenica steel plant and Ljubija had ceased operations.

"The Railways no longer have goods to transport, and we must provide salaries for employees. We cannot allow them to go without pay until the end of the year," Vidović said.